French prosecutor says 4 friends plotted imminent attack

1of 3Paris prosecutor Francois Molins gives a press conference, in Paris, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Five men arrested this week in two French cities were planning a terror attack in France as early as next week and were receiving their orders from an Islamic State group member based in Iraq or Syria, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)Photo: Thibault Camus, STR

2of 3Paris prosecutor Francois Molins gives a press conference, in Paris, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Five men arrested this week in two French cities were planning a terror attack in France as early as next week and were receiving their orders from an Islamic State group member based in Iraq or Syria, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)Photo: Thibault Camus, STR

3of 3Paris prosecutor Francois Molins gives a press conference, in Paris, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Five men arrested this week in two French cities were planning a terror attack in France as early as next week and were receiving their orders from an Islamic State group member based in Iraq or Syria, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)Photo: Thibault Camus, STR

PARIS - Four long-time friends in their 30s, living in the same French city and communicating through a closed phone line, were planning a terror attack in France as early as next week on orders from an Islamic State group member in Iraq or Syria, Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday.

The "commando" of four arrested on Sunday in the eastern city of Strasbourg plotted to carry out an attack on Dec. 1, but investigators have not yet determined "the specific chosen target among all those considered by the group," Molins said.

A fifth suspect was arrested in the southern city of Marseille at the same time as the Strasbourg suspects. Molins told reporters that suspect was not in direct touch with the other four, but was "given guidance remotely" from the same ISIS member.

Suspects had weapons

The prosecutor didn't name any targets, but security was tightened this week at the Paris headquarters of France's criminal investigations police, reportedly among the locations studied. French President Francois Hollande said a "large-scale attack" was thwarted.

The night they were arrested, two of the Strasbourg group had just downloaded the Periscope application, which allows people to stream live on internet with a cellphone. The app activity suggests they were preparing an "imminent" attack, Molins said.

The four Strasbourg suspects also were in possession of guns and ammunition, he said. Among the weapons seized during home searches were two handguns, two automatic rifles, several cartridge clips and dozens of cartridges of different calibers.

Investigators also found instructions for a money transfer, GPS coordinates and detailed explanations for obtaining more weapons on one suspect's USB stick.

All five men had a "clear will to find and to identify targets to commit an act in the very short term," Molins said.

Writing refers to jihad

Investigators recovered a notebook that contained 12 pages of writing that referred to an armed jihad, death in martyrdom and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State group leader, the prosecutor said.

Held in custody since Sunday, the men were moved Friday to a Paris courthouse to appear before counter-terrorism investigating judges. The Paris prosecutor asked magistrates to hand the five preliminary charges of taking part in a "terrorist criminal association" and to jail them.

Molins was speaking the day after anti-terrorism authorities took the unusual step of holding the men in custody without charge beyond the normal maximum period, relying on a recent anti-terrorism measure.

The five were later placed under investigation on preliminary charges of criminal terrorist association with a view of preparing attacks, a judicial official said. Three of the Strasbourg group also were charged with acquiring, possessing and transporting arms in relation with a terrorist enterprise.